We All Make Mistakes
by coldfusion9797
Summary: Continuation of the scene from ep 2.14 when Eric brings Matt and his Gran home from the hospital. Eric/Matt-ish. Obviously OOC. M for themes not scenes. Oneshot.


**AN: I like to write inappropriate stories, so here's another one that's just plain wrong. If you don't like the thought of Coach Taylor having any kind of inappropriate thoughts towards Matt, or vice versa, don't read on. If however, you love a scandal as I do, enjoy!**

How could he be so stupid? Matt's had a rough trot, there's no denying his life isn't easy, but he's a smart kid and this is a path he knows is the wrong one to go down. A kid with his talent and potential shouldn't throw it away because he feels like acting out and getting drunk. Eric needs Matt on his game if they're even gonna make it to the play-offs, let alone win. And this goes past football, he's let his grandma down too, not that she understands that. Eric makes sure Mrs Saracen is settled and when he leaves her room the only thought in his head is to sort Matt out. To get him to wake up to himself and not ruin the season for the team and for himself. Seeing the smartass look on Matt's face and catching the smell of alcohol on him, makes Eric mad, because he knows Matt is so much better than this. He grabs the quarterback and shoves him down the hall, ignoring his protests. He steers him into the bathroom, pushes him into the tub and turns the cold water on, it's the best way he can think of to sober him up and knock some sense into the kid.

"You know how many people depend on you to make good decisions? Huh? Do you have any idea? You grandmother, your friends, your teammates, so you better start makin' 'em and you better stop bein' so damn selfish and stop feeling sorry for yourself. Do you hear me?"

"Shut up! Shut up! You don't care about me! You left me for a better job, you're daughter left me for a better guy, Carlotta left me for Guatemala, my Dad left me for a damn war! Everybody leaves me! What's wrong with me?"

"There's nothin' wrong with you. There's nothin' wrong with you at all." Eric supplies instantly, shocked that Matt thinks Eric left because of him. Truth be told, Matt was one of the reasons the decision to leave was so hard.

Automatically Eric reaches across and turns the water off, not wanting to cause Matt any more distress than he's already in. _You left me..._ Matt's words echo inside Eric's head as the soaked boy looks up at him forlornly. Eric hates the thought that he's the reason such a bright kid has sunk to this level, that he thinks the only comfort to be found is at the bottom of a bottle. The way Matt's looking up at him stirs something deep in Eric, Matt looks so hurt, so lost, so desperate for someone to tell him he's worthwhile. And that's something Matt is, so Eric tells him so. "C'mon QB1," Eric says, extending his hand towards Matt to help him up. Matt takes the offered hand and Eric pulls him up. Matt steps out of the bath, dripping wet and miserable. Eric waits till Matt looks him in the eye before he speaks, he wants Matt to know he means every word of what he's about to say. "You're one of the best players on the team Matt, definitely the smartest, I know you're better than this," Eric tells Matt as he reaches out to clasp the boys shoulder, as a show of support. "I don't know any other seventeen year old who would care for his Grandma the way you do. Julie made a stupid mistake when she left you and as for me..." Eric sighs and pulls his cap off so he can run his hand through his hair, how does he say this? "Taking the job at TMU was the hardest decision I've ever had to make, and I made the wrong one." Eric puts particular emphasis on that last part. "I was selfish and I'm very sorry I abandoned you..." Matt doesn't say anything, just steps forward and wraps his arms around Eric. Eric doesn't hesitate to return the embrace, Matt needs to know someone's here for him right now. Eric's learned during his time coaching these kids that it's about a lot more than just football. Matt clings to him tightly, his fear of abandonment evident in his hold. "It's alright," Eric says softly in Matt's ear, "I came back didn't I?" Matt acknowledges the truth of Eric's words with a shaky, "yeah." They pass the bounds of decency, holding each other for far too long. Eric's clothes are soaked through by the time Matt eventually lets him go.

"You better dry off before you catch cold," Eric tells his quarterback, "and I better be getting home...I'll see you at training tomorrow." It doesn't seem like Matt's going to say anything so Eric turns to leave.

"Wait," Matt says and Eric turns back to face him. Matt closes the distance between them and reaches up and rests his hand on Eric's chest. He does it slowly, like he does most things, making the gesture precise and deliberate.

"You're wet too," Matt points out, looking up at Eric in a way he shouldn't. It's too intimate and asks too much. Eric's shocked into silence. Matt slides his hand higher and reaches up with his other hand to push Eric's jacket off his shoulders. Eric remains still, watching Matt warily and a sick curiosity takes hold of him. He wants to see how far Matt will take this, wants to know what it will feel like when he does. Matt slides the jacket down and it falls to the floor. Next Matt grabs the bottom of Eric's shirt and starts to pull it off. His fingers brush against Eric's skin as he lifts the wet material up, sending a strange thrill through him.

"You should take this off," Matt says, leaning in close. The smell of alcohol on Matt's breath snaps Eric out of whatever the hell that was, and he grabs Matt by the wrists pushing his hands away.

"What the hell are ya doin' Matt?" Eric manages to say through the horror that's slowly settling on him.

"I thought-I just want-I need someone who cares...you're the only one who came back."

"I do care about you Matt, but not like this. Never like this." Terrifyingly Eric's words are a much for himself as they are for Matt. That wounded look comes back into Matt's eyes and Eric resists the urge to bolt. Holy shit, Eric needs to be the adult here, he needs to push his own crisis away for the moment and focus on Matt. Eric has to fix this now or it will sit awkwardly between them forever... once it's sorted, then he can panic. "You're a little confused Matt, that's all. A lot's happened lately and you need someone to be here for you and I am," Eric says, reaching out and gripping Matt's arm, like he normally would, "but as a coach and friend, alright?"

"Ok," Matt nods.

"So we'll just forget about this ok? Like it never happened..."

"Yeah," Matt says, dropping his head and staring at the floor. But Eric needs to know he understands this.

"Hey Matt," Eric says and Matt raises his head and looks Eric in the eye, "you're a good kid and you made a mistake, that's all. We all make mistakes."


End file.
